System for uniformly coating exposed motion picture film with processing fluid

ABSTRACT

A projector, and system employing same, for receiving a motion picture film handling cassette having a processing station and a reel to which one end of the film strip is connected. The projector has an arrangement for driving the reel so as to effect the progressive advancement of the film strip through the processing station at a constant speed. Method practiced is also covered.

United States atet' [191 Eloranta et a1;

[ Sept 18, 1973 1 SYSTEM FOR UNIFORMLY COATING 3,628,750 12/1971 Waggershauser 352/180 X EXPOSED MOTION I R FILM WITH 3,181,444 5/1365 garats et al. 95/12 2,856,829 l 58 r ando 95/89 R X PROCESSING FLUID 3,410,498 11/1968 Winkler et al.. 352/78 R Inventors: Vait'o K. Eloranta, Needham; ,5 5/1970 She '352/ X Benjamin C, Ruggles, Glougester 3,655,277 4/1972 Land 352/72 buth of Mass 3,532,295 10/1970 Watson 352/180 X 2,876,004 3/1959 Sink 352/180 X [73] Assignee: Polaroid Corporation, Cambridge, 3,383,998 5/1968 Takats 352/130 Mass. 3,597,062 8/1971 Downey 352/130 [22] Flled: 1971 Primary Examiner-Samuel S. Matthews [21] Appl. No.: 173,839 Assistant ExaminerAlan Mathews Related Us. Application Data Attorney-Charles Mikulka et a1. [62] 1216253311318. No. 772,789, Nov. 1, 1968, Pat. No. ABSTRACT A projector, and system employing same, for receiving [52] 11.8. CI 352/72, 352/130, 352/ 180 a mOtiOII picture film handling cassette having a pro- [51] int. Cl. G03! 23/02 ing Station and a l to which one end of the film [58] Field of Search 352/72, 130, 166, Strip is connected- Th pr j r h an arr ngemen 352/180, 78; /14, 89 R for driving the reel so as to effect the progressive advancement of the film strip through the processing sta- [56] References Cited tion at a constant speed, Method practiced is also cov- UNITED STATES PATENTS ered' 2,922,352 1 1960 Tuttle et a1. 95/89 R 14 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures I2 [(15 7 f 19 l9 '56 I52 POTENTICNETER 1 2O 1| 0 D I o l 154 l I l 33 I06 I h u Tr 1'2. '2 a a T A.c.-o,c CONVERTER PATENTEU SEP] 8 ms SHEEI 1 OF 4 INVENTORS VAITO K. ELORANTA BENJAMIN C. RUGGLES wa /z and FIG.I

and.

FOX 12:1 X; 611/ 12;

ATTORNEYS Pmm'lm ww 3,759,609

SHEEI 2 0F 0 INVENTORS VAITO K. ELORANTA BENJAMIN C. RUGGLES PAIENIEU 3,759,609

l32' Fl 7 Q pm I N VENTORS I44 VAITO K. ELORANTA BQ ENJAMIN C. RUGGLES Q J W @101 AT TOR/V5 I SYSTEM FOR UNIFORMLY COATING EXPOSED MOTION PICTURE'FILM WITH PROCESSING FLUID This is a division of copending application Ser. No. 772,789 filed Nov. 1, 1968, now issued as U. S. Pat. No. 3,623,417.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION I 1. Field of Invention This invention relates to motion picture photography, and more particularly, to improved method apparatus and system for applying a uniform coating of processing fluid to an exposed strip of motion picture film.

2. Description of the Prior Art Certain important improvements have been made in recent years to simplify the job of home motion picture photography. For example, film handling cassetts are now available which are adapted to be quickly mounted as a unit into a camera for exposure purposes. After the film has been exposed, the cassette can be quickly removed from the camera and mailed to a processing laboratory. 7 I Also, specially designed projectors arebeing marketed which utilize'quick mounting cassettes containing the developed film. These'systems not only greatly simplify the projection operation, but also provide a permanent storage container for the film, i.e., a cassette from which it is never necessary to withdraw the film for projection purposes.

However, neither of these significant improvements has eliminated the major inconvenience associated plify the procedures for loading film into and removing film from a carnera,-they do not simplify the multi-step laboratory development process which requires repackaging of the film for projectionQ urposeS.

The field of still photography is no longer hampered by extensive periods of delay associated with processing exposed film. The impact on the public of the onestep photographic process employing diffusion transfer techniques is a matter of record and generally well known. The home photographer can now enjoy the fruits of his efforts in a matter of seconds. This important convenience has been available to the still photographer formany years. Important technology advances now make it possible for the home photographer interested in motion pictures to enjoy this same convenience. Radically different motion picture systems have now been developed employing multi-purpose compact cassettes permitting the photographer himself to quickly and easily process and project the film strip shortly after the pictures have-been taken. Exemplary of such new and-unique systems are those described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,537,784 issued Nov.3, 1970 and in copending applications Ser. No. 755,901 of Edwin H. Land filed Aug; 28, 1968 and Ser. No. 761,771 of Rogers B. Downey filed September 23, 1968; which patent and applications are assigned to the assignee of the present invention.

In commercial and industrial operations such rapid processing and projection systems are not only an improvement as a matter of convenience, but have other important effects as well; For instance, motion picture news reel programs can be presented on television to the viewing public shortly after events of interest have occurred and been photographed.

Considerable funds and efforts are currently being expended to further improve and refine these rapid processing and projection systems in order to reduce their cost, to further simplify the task of the operator, and to improve the quality of the final product. The present invention is directed to an improved method, system and apparatus for applying a coating of processing fluid to a film strip housed in a compact motion picture film handling cassette.

It istherefore a primary object'of this invention to provide an improved method for treating a film strip housed within a film handling cassette with a processing fluid.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved apparatus and system for treating a film strip housed within a film handling cassette with a processing fluid. I Another object of this invention is to provide a method and apparatus for treating a film strip within a cassette with processing fluid as it is advanced at a constant speed through a processing station of the cas-' sette. 1

BRIEF DESCRIPTION THE DRAWINGS The novel features that are considered characteristic of the invention'are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its organization and its method of operation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof will best be understood from the following description of the preferred embodiment when read in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein like numbers have been employed in the different figures to denote the same parts and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front elevation view, partially in section, of a motion picture film handling cassette and a-projector, embodying features of this invention;

FIG/2 is an enlarged front elevation view, partially in section, showing the mechanism of the embodiment of this invention illustrated in FIG. l for urging the applicator against the exposed film strip;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the seal employed in connection with the applicator of this invention;

FIG. 4 is a view of the projectors mechanism for exerting a'constant force on the processing fluid taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a view of the projectors mechanism for exerting a constant force on the processing fluid taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a rear elevation view of the projector illustrated in FIG. I; and

FIG. 7 is a front elevation view, partly in section, illustrating another embodiment of this invention for urging an applicator of a cassette against exposed film strip.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT receiving layer to which a positive image may be transferred by difiusion during development without neces-. sitating the subsequent removal of the emulsion con- 3 taining its developed negative image. This highly desirably feature is made possible by a developed negative image having low covering power.

In typical silver transfer-reversal processes for the projection of black-and-white images, a silver halide has generally been the practice, in the completion of this process, to separate the silver-receptive and silver halide strata in order to render the positive print visible. 1 v

However, as indicated above, the positive print may be rendered visible without separation of the silver halide and silver-receptive strata. For example, the-silverreceptive stratum may be so constituted as to provide an unusually vigorous silver precipitating environment which causes the'silver deposited upon it, in comparison with silver developed in the silver halide stratum, to possess very high covering power, i.e., opacity for a given mass of reduced silver. 1f the silver halide is in such a concentration as to give rise only when fully developed to a predetermined low maximumdensity, and if the silver complex is reduced to silver in a vigorous silver precipitating environment, the resulting negative and positive prints in superposition provide a compos ite print that presents a good image for projection purposes as long as they are. contained on atransparent support. Since the silver halide stratum and the silverreceptive stratum may not be separated, an overall simplification of the silver transfer-reversal process is achieved.

A composite film assembly of this type as well as processing compositions for producing a fully developed black-and-white image without the necessity of removing the developed negative image after processing are shown in prior U. S. Pat. No. 2,861,885 of Edwin H. Land which issued on Nov. 25, 1958. Other composite filmassemblies capable of producing developed fullcolor images without the necessity of removing the developed emulsion are shown in prior U. S. Pats. of Edwin H. Land, Nos. 2,726,154 issued Dec. 6, 1955 and 2,944,894 issued July 12, 1960. It should be noted that the present invention is not directed to the chemistry by which images are developed in 'thep'hotosensitive emulsion and transferred to an image-receiving stratum. However, in the practice of this invention, whether the film employed is black-and-white film or color film, at the present time the preferred embodiment of this invention employs film of a type not requiring the removal of the negative emulsion after itis developed.

Referring now to FIG. 1 of the drawings, a motion picture film cassette is shown mounted in a projector 12, the housing of which consists of a frame member 11 enclosed by a rear panel 13 and a front panel 15. Hinged to, and forming part of, the projectors front panel 15 is a door 17. To facilitate mounting of the cassette 10, the projector 12 is provided with spring clamps 19 which extend inwardly from the rear panel 13. The cassette 10 contains a strip of motion picture film 14, the respective ends of which are permanently affixed to a supply reel 16 and a take-up reel 18. In traveling from the supply reel 16 to the take-up reel 18, the film strip 14 sequentially passes around idlers 20 and 22, and, as will be subsequently explained in more detail, the reels 16 and 18 are adapted to engage drive means external of the cassette, such as that of the projector 12, whereby the film strip 14 can be selectively transported from the supply reel to the take-up reel and vice versa.

In traveling between idler 20 and idler 22, the film strip 14 traverses a film gate 24 provided in the housing 26 of the cassette 10. A portion 28 of the cassettes housing 26 is configured to provide a recess 30 behind the film 14 as it traverses the film gate 24. Mounted within this recess 30 is a light reflecting element 32 which may advantageously take the form of the prism described in copending application Ser. No. 118,963 filed Feb. 25 1971, in the name of Herbert A. Bing and assigned to the assignee of the present invention. Support is provided for the film strip 14 as it passes in front of the recess 30 by this light reflecting element 32. When the cassette 10 is mounted in the projector 12, the light reflecting element 32 is positioned in operative relationship with the projectors projecting system which includes an illumination system 34 and a lens 36. The lens 36 ismounted in a flanged opening 38 of the projector 12 which is provided with a dust cover 40.

The projector includes a motor 46 which is connected to a shaft 78 through a slip clutch 108 by a belt 110 and to a shaft 124 through a slip clutch 126 by a belt 128. These shafts 78 and 124 extend inwardly from and are rotatably mounted to the projectors rear panel 13. A clutch 129 associated with the motor 46 permits the motor to alternately drive either shaft 78 or shaft 124. When the cassette 10 is positioned in the clamps l9, shaft 78 engages a recess 130 of the supply reel 16,

while shaft 124 engages a recess 131 of the take-up reel 18. The projector 12 also includes a conventional claw mechanism 132 which is connected to the motor 46 through a belt 134 whenever the motor drives the takeup reel 18 and which engages the sprocket holes of the film strip 14 to advance the film across the film gate 24 in intermittent steps. Additionally, as is coventional, a rotating blade shutter (not shown) is mounted to the projectors rear panel 13 so as to be disposed between the illumination system 34 and the light reflecting element-32 and geared or otherwise appropriately connected to the claw mechanism 132.

Idler 20, around which the film 14 passes on its way from the supply reel 16 to the film gate 26, may if desired be mounted on amovable post spring biased toward the corner which it occupies in the cassette 10 and capable of being moved reiliently inwardly away from that corner. Concurrently, idler 22 may be designed in accordance with current practice to provide a snubbing action. This represents one way to minimize strain on the film strip 14 by the intermittent action of the claw mechanism 132 whenever the film strip is transported from the supply reel 16 to the take-up reel 18.

Also, when the cassette 10 is mounted in the projector 12, a support plate 42 of the projector extends into the cassettes film gate 24 to abut the film strip 14. This support plate 42 is mounted on a bearing 44 extending from the frame member 46 of the projector so that it can pivot in any direction on the bearing for purposes which will subsequently become apparent. The cassette includes guide plates 48 and 50 in which an applicator 52 is slidably retained. Viscous development chemicals 53 are contained within the applicator 52 and are adaptable to being expressed through an orifice 54 under a force applied thereon by a plunger 56 slidably mounted in the applicator. Formed on one edge of the applicator 52 is a rack 58 which is engaged by a pinion 60 rotatably mounted in the cassette 10. An arm 62, external of the cassette 10 having a handle 64 and connected to the pinion 60, can be rotated to cause the applicator 52 to slide in, either direction between the guide plates 48 and 50. When the pinion 60 is rotated in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 1, theapplicator 52 will be brought into contact with the film strip 14 and the supportplate 42 will automatically align itself and the section of the film strip which it abuts with the front face 66 of the applicator. At this time the film strip 14 is slidably engaged between the self-aligning support plate 42 and the applicator 52.

As may best be seen in FIG. 2, a pin 68 is rotatably mounted through the projectors door 17. An arm 70 extends from the inner end of the pin 68 and is connected to an over-the-center spring 72. The other, or outer end of the pin 68 is provided witha hand knob 74. The initial position of the arm 70-is shownin phantomin FIG. 2, in which position the arm is restrained against a stop 76 under the force of the spring 72. After the pinion arm 62 has been rotated to bring the applicator 52 into contact with the film strip 14,-the'projec tors door 17 may be closed and the hand knob 74 turned in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 2 to displace the arm 70 from its initial position, shown in phantom, into contact with the handle 64. This arrangement continually urges the applicator 52 against the film strip 14 ina yieldable manner, i.e., under the resilientforce of the spring 72. 5

FIG. 3 depicts the applicator 52 when it is in its initial position within the cassette 10, i.e., out of contact with the film strip 14. Its front face 66 is substantially flat but is provided with a recessed portion 80 communicating with the orifice 54. The orifice 54 is configured with a taper 82 to provide a knife-like edge 84. In this mam ner, after the processing'fluid 53 has been expressed through the orifice 54 onto the exposed film strip 14, there is only a line contact along the knife-like edge 84 between the applicator 52 and the fluid coating on the film and streakingin the coatings surface is virtually eliminated. I

As may be seen in FIGL- 3,-a strip of material 86, such as vinyl, has one of its ends 88 permanently affixed to an inwardly extendinglip 90,01" the cassette 10. The other end 92 of the strip of material 86 is provided with an adhesive surface 94 which is attached to the applicator 52 so as to cover its orifice 54 when it is in its initial position within the'cassette 10. As may be seen in this same figure, a fold 96 is provided in the strip of material 86 between the applicator 52 and the lip 90. Consequently, as the pinion arm 62 is tumed in a clockwise manner as viewed in FIGS. 1 and 2 to bring the applicator 52 into contact with the film strip 14, the strip of material 86 will automatically be peeled away from the applicator so as to expose or unseal its orifice 54 (See FIG.2).' f

Referringnow to FIGS. 1,4 and 5 of thedrawings, the projector 12 includes a rod 98 slidablypositioned within a mount'100 extending inwardly from the projector's rear panel 13. One end of this rod 98 is affixed 104 slidably engaging a guide track 106 mounted on the inner face of the projectors rear panel 13.

One end 112 of a pin 114 is connected to the block i 102. This pin 114 extends through a slot 116 provided in the projectors rear panel 13 and a hand knob 118 is connected to its other end. Mounted on the pin 114 interiorly of the projector is a spring 120 which continually urges the hand knob inwardly against the exterior face of the rear panel 13. It will thus be recognized that, when the hand knob 118 is manipulated to displace the block 102 to its furthermost right-hand position as viewed in FIG. 4 along the guide track 106, the force of the spring 120 will cause the hand knob to seat in a recess 122 provided in the projectors rear panel 13 and communicating with the slot 116. This action causes the block 102 to be locked in position against the projectors rear panel 13 until such time as the hand knob 118. is pulled out of the recess 122.

Rotatably mounted in a bracket 136 connected to the projectors rear panel 13 is a negator spring 138. The other end of this negator spring 138 is affixed to the block 102 and,consequently, the force .of the negator spring continually urges the block 102, and the rod 98 connected thereto, to be displaced in a left-hand directionas viewed'in lFIGS. 1 and 4 along the guide track 106. I

As illustrated in bothFIG. 1 and FIG. 4', the rod 98 is aligned in registry with apertu resl40 and 142 of the cassette 10 and applicator 52, respectively. Thus, after the cassette '10 has been mounted in the projector. 12 and the applicator 52 brought into contact with the film strip 14, the hand knob 1 18 can be pulled out of the recess 122 and the force of the negator spring exerted on the block 102 will cause it to slide alongthe guide track 106 to a position where the rod 98 has entered the eassette l0 through its aperature 140 and further entered the applicator through its aperture 141 to seat against the plunger 56. I

Thus it will be seen that thefilm gate 24 constitutes an opening that serves to provide the cassette 10 with r a film exposure station where progressive incremental sections of the film strip 14 may be exposed to imagecarrying light rays when the cassette is mounted in an appropriate camera, and that serves to provide the eassette with a film projection station where light rays from a projection illumination system 34 may be directed through progressive incremental sections of the film strip when the cassette is mounted in the projector 12. At the same time, the cassette 10 includes a normally inoperative film processing station comprising the applicator 52 which may be selectively'rendered operable.

As may be seen in- FIG. 1, the projector 12 is provided with an electrical receptacle 144 which is connected to the motor 46 through a converter 148 and a,

variable electrical resistance element (potentiometer) 150 whichincludes a slidable control arm 152. As the control arm 152 is displaced inwardly of the potentiometer 150, the resistance of the potentiometer gradually increases thereby reducing the speed of the motor 46.

An arm 154 pivotally connected from the projectors 52 has been brought into contact with the film strip 14 and the rod 98 into contact with the plunger 56, the speed of the motor 146 will be gradually reduced as the plunger 56 is displaced within the applicator towards the orifice 54. In effect, the rate of travel of the film strip 14 across the applicator 52 is substantially held constant during the entire operation of the applicator even though the film strip itself is being coiled in turns of ever increasing diameters on the reel 16.

OPERATION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT To summarize the operation of the preferred embodiment of this invention, the cassette 10 is initially furnished with substantially the entire unexposed film strip 14 coiled on the supply reel 16 and is adapted to be quickly mounted in a motion picture camera (not shown). The reel means of the cassetee 10, more specifically the take-up reel 18, engages the cameras drive means whereby an operator can selectively record images on the film strip as it traverses the film gate 24 in passing from the supply reel 16 to the take-up reel 18. During the picture-taking operation, the film 14 is supported across the film gate 24 on the light reflecting element 32 and the applicator 52 is disposed in its furthermost right-hand position within the cassette 10 as viewed in FIG. 1. After the film strip 14 has been completely exposed, the cassette 10 can be quickly removed from the camera and replaced, when desired, by an identical cassettecontaining unexposed film. I

After exposure, the door 17 .of the projector 12 can be opened and the cassette 10 mounted in the spring clamps 19. At this time, the hand'knob 118 is seated in the recess 122 of the projectors rear panel 13 and the hand knob 74 on the projectors door 17 is in its furthermost clockwise position as viewed in FIG. 2-to seat the arm 70 against the stop 76.

With the projectors door 17 open, the pinion arm 62 is rotated to bring the applicator 52 intocontact with the film strip automatically removing the strip of material 86 from the orifice 54 and slidably engaging the film against the self-aligning support plate 42. The door 17 of the projector 12 may then be closed and the hand knob 74 rotated to bring the arm 70 into contact with the handle 64 of the pinions arm 62. As a result of this operation, the applicator 52 is yieldably restrained against the film strip 14.

The hand knob 118 is then withdrawn from the recess 122, at which time the force of the negator spring 138 will cause the block 102 to slide toward the cassette 10 along its guide track 106. As the block 102 approaches the cassette 10, the rod 98 enters the cassette through its aperture 140 and then the applicator 52 through its aperture 141 to seat against the plunger 56. During this operation, it is desirable for the operator to hold onto the hand knob 118 and to permit it to slowly slide along the slot 116 under the force of the negator spring 138 so that it does not hang against the plunger 56.

The projectors receptacle 144 may then be connected to a source of electrical energy. The motor 46 is energized and connected to the supply reel 16 through the belt 110, slip clutch 108 and shaft 78 by throwing a toggle switch 164 provided on the exterior of the projectors rear panel 13 (See FIG. 6) from its of to its on" position. The exposed film strip 14 is thereby returned from the take-up reel 18 to the supply reel 16 across the front face 66 of the applicator 52. Si-

multaneously the negator spring 138 exerts a constant force on the development chemicals 53 through the rod 98 and the plunger 56, causing a metered amount of the chemicals to be expressed onto the exposed film strip14 as it passes in front of the orifice 54. Also, the motion of the arm 154 responsive to the changing position of the block 102 as the development chemicals 53 are expressed from the applicator 52 progressively increases the resistance of the potentiometer 150 thereby effecting a corresponding decrease in the speed of the motor 156. As previously indicated, the net effect of this operation is to maintain a constant rate of travel of the film is being coiled in turns of increasing diameters on the supply reel 16.

Conventional means (not shown) are connected to the toggle switch 164 to return that element automatically to its ofi position when all of the exposed film has been coiled on the supply reel 16. Thus, at this point, the motor 46 is deenergized and the slip clutch 108 disengaged.

The hand knob 74 should then be rotated to seat the arm against the stop 76. Also, at this time, the hand knob 118 should be drawn along the slot 116 in the projectors rear panel 13 until it seats in the recess 122. Thus, the rod 98 is withdrawn from the applicator 52 and the cassette 10. The projectors door 17 should again be opened and the pinion arm 62 turned in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 2 to withdraw the applicator 52 from contact with the film strip 14 into its original position within the cassette 10. The projectors door should then be closed, the dust cover 40 removed from the projectors flanged opening 38 and a projection screen (not shown) appropriately positioned in front of the projectors lens 36.-

Throwing a toggle switch 166, provided on the back face of the projectors rear panel 13 (See FIG. 6) energizes the illumination system 34 and the motor 146, clutches the motor to the belt 128 and the belt 134 and engages the slip clutch 126. The developed film strip 14 coiled on the supply reel 16 is thus drawn across the film gate 24 onto the take-up reel 18. As the developed film strip 14 traverses the film gate 24 in front of the light reflecting element 32 under the action of the claw mechanism 132, the images recorded thereon are projected through the lens 36 onto the screen (not shown).

Conventional means (not shown) are also connected to the toggle switch 166 to automatically return that element to its off position when all of the now developed film 14 has been drawn from the supply reel 16 and coiled on the take-up reel 18. After projection, the film 14 may be returned to the supply reel 16 by operation of the toggle switch 164. The cassette 10 can be removed from the projector 12 for storage purposes and subsequent viewings can be facilitated by merely again mounting the cassette in the projector and appropriate operation of toggle switches 164 and 166.

Editing of the developed film strip 14 can easily be effected. It is only necessary to draw a loop of the film strip 14 from the film gate 24 and to remove sections therefrom or to splice sections thereinto as desired.

DESCRIPTION OF AN ALTERNATE EMBODIMENT An alternate embodiment of this invention for displacing the applicator within a cassette and for yieldably restraining it against the film strip during the time of its operation is illustrated in FIG. 7 of the drawings.

The same numerals primed are employed in that figure to denote parts of that embodiment of the invention which remain substantially unchanged from the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 6.

Referring now to FIG. 7 a cassette 10' is shown mounted in a projector 12'. in this case a self-aligning support plate 170 is pivotally mounted on a bearing 172 extending inwardly from the housing 26 of the cassette 10. This self-aligning support plate 170 abuts the film strip 14 between an idler and a film gate 26'. An applicator 52' is slidably retained between guide plates 48' and 50 of the cassette 10'. Extending from the applicator 52' is a pin 174. Another pin 176 extends through the projectors door 17' and is rotatably connected thereto. Mounted on the exterior end of this pin 176 is a hand knob 178. An arm 1811 provided with a yoke 182 is connected to the other end of the pin 176 internally of the door 17'. This arm 180 is also connected to the inside of the door 17 by an overthe-center spring 184. When the hand knob 178 is turned to its furthermost position in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 7, the arm 180 is seated against a stop 186 extending. from the inner face of the door 17' 'under the force of the spring 184.

At the timethe cassette '10 is initially'mounted in the projector 127, the applicator 52 -is in its furthennost position withinthe cassette away from the film strip 14'. As the projectors door 17" is closed, the applicator's pin 174 is engaged by the yoke 182By then turn;- ing the hand knob 178 in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in FIG. 7 the applicator 52' will slide between the guide tracks 48 and 50' into contact with the film strip 14'. Atthis time the applicator 52 isv yieldably restrained against the film strip 14 under the force of the spring 184 and the film strip is slidably engaged between the cassette s self-aligning support plate 170 and the applicator. I

This invention may be practiced or embodied in other ways without departing fromthe spirit or essential character thereof. For instance, the potentiometer 150 may be positioned in alignment with the rod 98 in which case its control arm 152 may merely constitute an extension of that rod. Such an arrangement would eliminate the requirmeentforthe pivoted arm 154. Additionally, as illustrated in the drawings the cassette includes a pair of coaxial reels whose axes of rotation are spaced from one another. This invention is obviously equally applicable to cassettes in which a pair of reels are positioned side by side on a common axis. Also, the invention is applicable to an arrangement wherein the film is in the form of an endless strip. The preferred em bodiments described herein are therefore illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims and all variations which come within the meaning of the claims are intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed is:

1. Photographic apparatus for effecting the processing and projecting of a strip of exposed photographic film housed within afilm handling cassette, such cas-v sette including a cassette housing, a normally operative processing station wherein processing fluid may be ap plied to an incremental section of such film strip, a projection station wherein a beam of light may be directed through an incremental section of such film strip, and a reel to which such film strip is connected so that rotation of such reel will effect the coiling of such film strip still thereon in .tums of increasing radii and thereby progressively advance such strip of film within such cassette housing through such processing station, said apparatus including:

an apparatus housing; means for mounting such cassette within said apparatus housing; I means for rendering such processing station operative, and for driving such cassette reel at a substantially continuously reducing rate of revolution so as to effect the coiling of such film strip around such reel and the progressive. advancement of such film strip through such processing station at a substantially constant speed so as to thereby effect the uniform coating of substantially the entire length of such film strip with such processing fluid; and means for projecting viewable images recorded on a strip of film positioned to be in operative relation with such cassette projection station when such cassette is mounted in said apparatus mounting means, so that after coating substantially the entire length of such film strip it may be progressively advanced within such cassette through such projection station to effect the projection agesrecorded thereon.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said projection means includes means for effecting the intermittent advancement ofsuch film stripthroughsuch' projection station.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein such processing station includes an applicator configured for receiving a predetermined amount of processing fluid and means for uniformly depositing such fluid on such film strip during said advancement at said constant speed, and said continuously reducing rate of revolution of such reel is a function of the continuously decreasing amountlof such processing fluid retained within such applicator during coating of such film strip.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said continuously reducing rate of revolution of such reel is a function of the increasing radii of such turns during coiling of such film strip on such reel.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein such processing means includes an applicator member configured to receive a predetermined amount of processing fluid and means for uniformly depositing such fluid on such film strip during said constant speed advancement thereof, and wherein said apparatus additionally includes means for sensing the amount of such liquid retained within such applicator member, and said means for driving such reel at a substantially continuously reducing rate of revolution is responsive to said sensing means.

6. A photographic film handling system comprising:

a cassette including: r

a cassette housing;

a strip of exposed unprocessed photographic film stored within said cassette housing;

a normally inoperative processing station mounted within said housing and configured for receiving a vsupply of processing fluid and'for applying such processing fluid to an incremental section of said film strip;

a projection station wherein a beam of light may be directed to an incremental section of said film strip;

means responsive to externally mounted drive means for progressively advancing said film strip within said cassette housing through said processing staof viewable imtion at a constant speed, said film advancing means including a rotatably mounted reel to which one end of said film strip is connected; and 4 a projector including:

an apparatus housing; means formounting said cassette within said apparatus housing; means for rendering said processing station operative and for driving said reel at a substantially continuously reducing rate of revolution so as to effect the coiling of said strip of film therearound and progressive advancement of said film strip through said processing station at a substantially constant speed so as to effect the uniform coating of substantially the entire length of said film strip with such processing fluid; and means for projecting viewable images recorded on a strip of film positioned to be in operative relation with said cassette projection station when said cassette is mounted in said projector so that after coating of substantially the entire length of said film strip it may be progressively advanced through said cassette projection station by drive means of said projector to effect the projection of viewable images recorded thereon.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein said continuously decreasing rate of revolution of said reel is a function of the continuously increasing radii of said turns during coiling of said film strip on said reel.

8. The system of claim 6 wherein said processing station includes an applicator member adapted to receive a predetermined amount of processing fluid and means for uniformly depositing such fluid on said strip of film during said constant advancement, and wherein said continuously reducing rate of revolutionof said reel is a function of the continuously decreasing amount of such processing fluid retained within said applicator member during coating of said film strip.

9. The system of claim.8 wherein said projector additionally includes means for sensing the amount of fluid retained within said applicator, and said means for driving said reel at a continuously reducing rate of revolu-. tion is responsive to said sensing means.

10. A method of processing and projecting a strip of film housed within a motion picture film handling cassette having a normally inoperative film' processing station wherein processing fluid may be applied to an incremental section of said film strip, a projection station wherein a beam of light may be directed through an incremental section of said film strip, and a reel to which said film strip is connected so that rotation of said reel will effect the coiling of said film strip thereon in turns of increasing radii and the progressive advancement of said film strip through said processing station, said method comprising a first step of rendering said processing station operative and driving of said reel at a substantially continuously reducing rate of revolution so as to effect the coiling of said processed film strip thereon and the progressive advancement of said film strip through said processing station at a constant speed, and a second step of directing a beam of light through said projection station of said cassette and progressively advancing said film strip through said projection station.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said second step includes advancing said film strip through said projection station at a speed different from said constant speed of said first step.

12. The method of claim 10 wherein said strip of film includes images recorded thereon by progressively advancing said film strip in a forward direction so as to uncoil said film strip from said reel, and said first step includes rotating said reel at a continuously decreasing rate of revolution which is afunction of said turns of increasing radii so as to progressively return said exposed strip of film thereto, and said second step inclu'des again progressively advancing said film strip through said projection station in said forward direction.-

13. The method of claim 10 wherein said processing station includes an applicator member for storing a predetermined amount of fluid and means for uniformly depositing said processing fluid on said film strip during said first step, and wherein said first step includes driving said reel at a continuously reducing rate of revolution which is a function of the continuously decreasing amount of processing fluid stored within said applicator member during said first step.

14. The method of claim 10 additionally including the stepof rendering said processing station inoperative following completion of said first step and prior to or at the start of said second step. 

1. Photographic apparatus for effecting the processing and proJecting of a strip of exposed photographic film housed within a film handling cassette, such cassette including a cassette housing, a normally operative processing station wherein processing fluid may be applied to an incremental section of such film strip, a projection station wherein a beam of light may be directed through an incremental section of such film strip, and a reel to which such film strip is connected so that rotation of such reel will effect the coiling of such film strip thereon in turns of increasing radii and thereby progressively advance such strip of film within such cassette housing through such processing station, said apparatus including: an apparatus housing; means for mounting such cassette within said apparatus housing; means for rendering such processing station operative and for driving such cassette reel at a substantially continuously reducing rate of revolution so as to effect the coiling of such film strip around such reel and the progressive advancement of such film strip through such processing station at a substantially constant speed so as to thereby effect the uniform coating of substantially the entire length of such film strip with such processing fluid; and means for projecting viewable images recorded on a strip of film positioned to be in operative relation with such cassette projection station when such cassette is mounted in said apparatus mounting means, so that after coating substantially the entire length of such film strip it may be progressively advanced within such cassette through such projection station to effect the projection of viewable images recorded thereon.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said projection means includes means for effecting the intermittent advancement of such film strip through such projection station.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein such processing station includes an applicator configured for receiving a predetermined amount of processing fluid and means for uniformly depositing such fluid on such film strip during said advancement at said constant speed, and said continuously reducing rate of revolution of such reel is a function of the continuously decreasing amount of such processing fluid retained within such applicator during coating of such film strip.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said continuously reducing rate of revolution of such reel is a function of the increasing radii of such turns during coiling of such film strip on such reel.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein such processing means includes an applicator member configured to receive a predetermined amount of processing fluid and means for uniformly depositing such fluid on such film strip during said constant speed advancement thereof, and wherein said apparatus additionally includes means for sensing the amount of such liquid retained within such applicator member, and said means for driving such reel at a substantially continuously reducing rate of revolution is responsive to said sensing means.
 6. A photographic film handling system comprising: a cassette including: a cassette housing; a strip of exposed unprocessed photographic film stored within said cassette housing; a normally inoperative processing station mounted within said housing and configured for receiving a supply of processing fluid and for applying such processing fluid to an incremental section of said film strip; a projection station wherein a beam of light may be directed to an incremental section of said film strip; means responsive to externally mounted drive means for progressively advancing said film strip within said cassette housing through said processing station at a constant speed, said film advancing means including a rotatably mounted reel to which one end of said film strip is connected; and a projector including: an apparatus housing; means for mounting said cassette within said apparatus housing; means for rendering said processing station operative And for driving said reel at a substantially continuously reducing rate of revolution so as to effect the coiling of said strip of film therearound and progressive advancement of said film strip through said processing station at a substantially constant speed so as to effect the uniform coating of substantially the entire length of said film strip with such processing fluid; and means for projecting viewable images recorded on a strip of film positioned to be in operative relation with said cassette projection station when said cassette is mounted in said projector so that after coating of substantially the entire length of said film strip it may be progressively advanced through said cassette projection station by drive means of said projector to effect the projection of viewable images recorded thereon.
 7. The system of claim 6 wherein said continuously decreasing rate of revolution of said reel is a function of the continuously increasing radii of said turns during coiling of said film strip on said reel.
 8. The system of claim 6 wherein said processing station includes an applicator member adapted to receive a predetermined amount of processing fluid and means for uniformly depositing such fluid on said strip of film during said constant advancement, and wherein said continuously reducing rate of revolution of said reel is a function of the continuously decreasing amount of such processing fluid retained within said applicator member during coating of said film strip.
 9. The system of claim 8 wherein said projector additionally includes means for sensing the amount of fluid retained within said applicator, and said means for driving said reel at a continuously reducing rate of revolution is responsive to said sensing means.
 10. A method of processing and projecting a strip of film housed within a motion picture film handling cassette having a normally inoperative film processing station wherein processing fluid may be applied to an incremental section of said film strip, a projection station wherein a beam of light may be directed through an incremental section of said film strip, and a reel to which said film strip is connected so that rotation of said reel will effect the coiling of said film strip thereon in turns of increasing radii and the progressive advancement of said film strip through said processing station, said method comprising a first step of rendering said processing station operative and driving of said reel at a substantially continuously reducing rate of revolution so as to effect the coiling of said processed film strip thereon and the progressive advancement of said film strip through said processing station at a constant speed, and a second step of directing a beam of light through said projection station of said cassette and progressively advancing said film strip through said projection station.
 11. The method of claim 10 wherein said second step includes advancing said film strip through said projection station at a speed different from said constant speed of said first step.
 12. The method of claim 10 wherein said strip of film includes images recorded thereon by progressively advancing said film strip in a forward direction so as to uncoil said film strip from said reel, and said first step includes rotating said reel at a continuously decreasing rate of revolution which is a function of said turns of increasing radii so as to progressively return said exposed strip of film thereto, and said second step includes again progressively advancing said film strip through said projection station in said forward direction.
 13. The method of claim 10 wherein said processing station includes an applicator member for storing a predetermined amount of fluid and means for uniformly depositing said processing fluid on said film strip during said first step, and wherein said first step includes driving said reel at a continuously reducing rate of revolution which is a function of the continuously decreasing amount of processing fluiD stored within said applicator member during said first step.
 14. The method of claim 10 additionally including the step of rendering said processing station inoperative following completion of said first step and prior to or at the start of said second step. 